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Marlboro makers sued for 80 million dollars
Salem, Dec 27: The Oregon Supreme Court has let stand an 80 million dollars verdict against cigarette-maker Philip Morris for allegedly concealing information about the dangers of smoking.
Salem, Dec 27: The Oregon Supreme Court has let stand an 80 million dollars verdict against cigarette-maker Philip Morris for allegedly concealing information about the dangers of smoking.
The Tuesday decision not to review the case was a victory for the family of Jesse D. Williams, a Portland janitor who had smoked Marlboros for four decades and died in 1997 from lung cancer.
The family had sued the world's largest tobacco company, claiming Williams kept smoking because he did not believe a company would sell something that was truly harmful.
Philip Morris officials say they might ask the Oregon Supreme Court to reconsider. But they said they will eventually petition the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn or substantially reduce the award.
"We continue to believe that the Williams-branch verdict should be set aside on a number of legal grounds, including the excessiveness of the punitive damages award, and we are hopeful that the US Supreme Court will agree to hear the case and send it back to Oregon for a new trial," William S. Ohlemeyer, a Philip Morris vice president and associate general counsel, said in a statement.
An attorney for Williams' family said he doubts the high court will take the case.
"It's a highly charged political issue, and i think the US Supreme Court would not go out of its way to use a tobacco case to make law when they had other alternatives," said attorney Charles Tauman.
Even if the verdict survives the US Supreme Court, the fight will continue.
Bureau Report
The Tuesday decision not to review the case was a victory for the family of Jesse D. Williams, a Portland janitor who had smoked Marlboros for four decades and died in 1997 from lung cancer.
The family had sued the world's largest tobacco company, claiming Williams kept smoking because he did not believe a company would sell something that was truly harmful.
Philip Morris officials say they might ask the Oregon Supreme Court to reconsider. But they said they will eventually petition the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn or substantially reduce the award.
"We continue to believe that the Williams-branch verdict should be set aside on a number of legal grounds, including the excessiveness of the punitive damages award, and we are hopeful that the US Supreme Court will agree to hear the case and send it back to Oregon for a new trial," William S. Ohlemeyer, a Philip Morris vice president and associate general counsel, said in a statement.
An attorney for Williams' family said he doubts the high court will take the case.
"It's a highly charged political issue, and i think the US Supreme Court would not go out of its way to use a tobacco case to make law when they had other alternatives," said attorney Charles Tauman.
Even if the verdict survives the US Supreme Court, the fight will continue.
Bureau Report